The invention relates to a chip card connector for connecting a chip card, such as a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card to a mobile station, and a mobile station in which the chip card connector according to the invention is used.
A chip card is used in an electronic device, such as in a mobile station, for example for identifying the subscriber or saving information. Generally, the electronic device has a chip card holder welded on the circuit board and a connector with connecting springs for connecting to the chip card. For this purpose, the chip cards have gold-plated connecting surfaces by which an electric connection to the circuits of the chip card is established.
The prior art devices have the drawback that placing the chip card to the holder and connector is difficult, because the chip card has to be placed directly against the springs or slid on place from a certain direction.
It is the objective of the invention to provide a new chip card connector to which the chip card can be placed from as many directions as possible.
The invention relates to a chip card connector which comprises an insulating frame and at least one elongated, electrically conductive connecting spring, which incorporates a part for touching the contact area of the chip card, which part has a bent shape mainly in the longitudinal direction of the connecting spring. According to the invention, the part arranged for making the connection is bent not only longitudinally but also transversely, and the frame comprises at least one supporting part to prevent movement in the plane direction of the chip card, the transverse direction of the connecting spring.
Thus the part of the connecting string arranged for making the connection is flexible with regard to the transverse direction, essentially orthogonal to the plane of the chip card, even if the chip card is put on place from another direction than the longitudinal direction of the connecting spring.
The invention also relates to an electronic device, which comprises a processor for reading the information of the chip card, a memory for saving the programs of the processor, a chip card connector for connecting to the chip card, at least one printing unit for printing information which is presented for the operations, and an input device for using the operations. According to the invention, the chip card connector comprises an insulating frame and connecting springs, and the part of at least one connecting spring arranged for touching the contact area of the chip card is bent in at least two directions, and the frame comprises at least one supporting part to prevent movement in the plane direction of the chip card, the transverse direction of the connecting spring.
The invention also relates to a mobile station, which comprises a processor for reading the identification information of the subscriber""s identification card, a memory for saving the programs of the processor, an identification card connector for connecting to the identification card of the subscriber, at least one printing unit for printing information which is presented for the operations, an input device for using the operations, a transceiver and an antenna for connecting to the radio network. According to the invention, the identification card connector comprises an insulating frame and connecting springs, and the part of at least one connecting spring, which is arranged for touching the contact area of the identification card is bent in at least two directions, and the frame comprises at least one supporting part to prevent movement in the plane direction of the chip card, the transverse direction of the connecting spring.
According to the invention, the chip card can be installed from at least four horizontal directions or from above. This gives more design freedom to the designer of the electronic device, such as a mobile station, because the installation direction of the chip card connector is not important any more. Furthermore, little room is needed on the circuit board for the connector according to the invention, because there is room for components under the connector.
The connector according to the invention is also a low-cost item in manufacture, and it can be easily installed in an electronic device. The connector can be installed automatically during the assembly of the device.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are presented in the dependent claims.